If You're Gone
by code-wyze
Summary: Songfic with If You're Gone - Matchbox 20. Naraku is finally beaten (corny, ne?), and Kagome makes a wish on the jewel. After she makes her wish, she leaves Inu Yasha to his life. (Will be InuKag if continued)
1. If You're Gone

Author's Note: Alright, guys, this is my first Inu Yasha fic (that I'm posting). I spellchecked this, and throughought the 18-1900 words, I only had three spelling errors, so I'm proud. If you guys like it, I'll probably continue it. I don't know when I can update, if I do choose to continue this, but I will whenever I can.  
  
Disclaimer: I own neither Inu Yasha the character, or the anime, just as I do not own If You're Gone. That song is property of Matchbox 20, who, in my opinion, is a pretty awesome group, and I'm glad they allow the use of their material.  
  
On with t3h |_337 |\|3\/\/ 570r'/!  
  
bIf You're Gone/b  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
They had finally done it. After months, nay, years of toil, they had defeated Naraku, and gathered all the shards of the Shikon no Tama. It was complete, at long last. There was now only the matter of deciding on a single, pure wish, with which to erase the cursed jewel from existence.  
  
"Who should get the wish?" Kagome asked timidly, as they sat around a campfire, pondering the destiny of the little pink jewel.  
  
"I truly have no desire for the fruits of this jewel. There is nothing that I could want that is not already at the tips of my hands," Miroku said steadily. Sango glared at him when she realized the meaning of the innuendo, then blushed.  
  
"Truly, I would enjoy gaining my little brother, but Kohaku's soul has already been laid to rest... it wouldn't be right," Sango said with a hidden strength, as she repressed the urge to weep at her late brother's departure.  
  
"Same thing goes for me," said Shippou, crossing his arms, and puffing up his chest, while he tried to look big and strong for the group. "I loved Mom and Dad, but I've got a new family." The circle now passed to Kagome.  
  
"I... uh, well..." Kagome struggled for something to say. She knew what she wanted very clearly; she wanted Inu Yasha to love her, like she loved him, but even more importantly, she wanted him to be happy. She would much rather see him have the wish. "Well, I supposed I've got a back up wish, if nothing else..." she sighed. "I'd really rather not say, though." She'd just wish for his happiness, and then get out of there, and back to her own time. Then he could do whatever he wanted with Kikyou; go to Hell, stay on Earth, it didn't matter, as long as he was happy. Everyone now looked at Inu Yasha.  
  
biI think I've already lost you/b/i  
  
"Keh! Like wishing to be a full youkai is real pure." He didn't really want that wish anymore, any way, but he had a reputation to maintain. Taking a moment of reflection, he chuckled sadistically to himself when he realized that the driving force behind that wish was a deep seated need for acceptance... the same acceptance he had found with Kagome, just being himself. Not human, not youkai, not even hanyou. Inu Yasha. But he had a debt to pay to Kikyou, and his soul would not get the remedy that it truly needed for his pained heart.  
  
biI think you're already gone/b/i  
  
"I guess it's my wish, then... you guys don't need to worry about it, it's pure alright, it's just... really personal. Please trust me." Nobody gave a single hint at doubting her intentions. "Thank you," she whispered so silently, only Inu Yasha heard it, and only then because of all the experience he'd had.  
  
biI think I'm finally scared now/b/i  
  
Kagome stood up, the jewel in hand, not entirely sure what to do. She held it out in front of her, and it began to glow softly. Focusing, she poured all of her concentration into the single wish: iPlease, I wish for Inu Yasha to live a happy life. Please, please, please, just let him be happy,/i she thought to herself and the jewel. For a moment, she thought she was pleading more than she was wishing.  
  
The jewel flashed a bright pink, and disappeared. Kagome sighed, grateful that her wish had been granted, and that nobody knew about it. It would be so embarrassing, and Inu Yasha would probably have gotten mad at her.  
  
"C'mon, everyone, let's go to sleep," Kagome said, suddenly exhausted.  
  
It was noon the next day. They had made it back to the Bone Eater's well, and Kagome was intending on leaving, for good. She didn't really want to leave Shippou or her friends behind, but she knew that any other choice would have literally killed her, seeing with her own eyes that Inu Yasha had gone to Hell.  
  
  
  
biYou think I'm weak/b/i  
  
"What do you mean, you're going back?!" Inu Yasha shouted at her, when she was marching towards the well, having voiced her intentions.  
  
biBut I think you're wrong/b/i  
  
"Inu Yasha, I'm going back to my time, and that's final."  
  
biI think you're already leaving/b/i  
  
"Shut up, bitch, you can't go back. We have jewel shards to go-" his eyes suddenly dropped to the ground, and his head sunk. His excuse for his almost obsessively possessive need to keep her around had finally played itself out. He looked up at her testingly.  
  
iPlease... Kagome... you aren't... aren't leaving me... are you?/i  
  
biFeels like your hand is on the door/b/i  
  
"Inu Yasha..." Kagome whispered, her resolve crumbling, as she scrambled to hold onto it. "I have to go, Inu Yasha. I can't come back."  
  
He felt his heart shatter at those words. She was leaving him. And she wasn't going to come back. He wasn't even sure if she COULD come back after this, without the jewel, and he didn't know if he could follow her. He had to do something quick, but what could he do? He still owed Kikyou.  
  
biI thought this place was an empire/b/i  
  
biBut now I'm relaxed/b/i  
  
biI can't be sure/b/i  
  
"Inu Yasha... goodbye." She fell backwards before he could reply, as her own heart was ripped out. She knew she would probably regret it, but... at least he could still be happy.  
  
biI think you're so mean/b/i  
  
"Kagome..." he whispered.  
  
biI think we should try/b/i  
  
"Kagome..." he said louder, his eyes blank, as he tried to wrap his mind around it.  
  
biI think I could need/b/i  
  
"KAGOME!!!" he finally screamed, lifting his arms upward in anguish.  
  
bithis in my life/b/i  
  
"Kagome... without you... Kagome," he choked on a sob as he collapsed, and slammed his arms into the ground, "Kagome, I need you... how can I ever be whole... how can I ever be happy without you...?" he struggled to say to himself, his throat tightening painfully in choked sobs, as he struggled to restrain the tears he swore he would never shed again after his mother.  
  
bvI think I'm just scared/b/i  
  
"Kagome... I think," he said with a choke, "I think... I... I love you." He collapsed to the ground.  
  
biI think too much/b/i  
  
biI know this is wrong, it's a problem I'm dealing with/b/i  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
"How's he doing?"  
  
"Not good, Sango." It had been only a week since Kagome had left, but Inu Yasha was haggard, and worn, as if he'd spent months on nothing but water.  
  
biIf you're gone/b/i  
  
"I never thought he'd react this badly. He never showed the way he felt about her."  
  
bimaybe it's time to go home/b/i  
  
"I fear that may be part of the reason he's feeling so horrible. He even tried heading to Kagome-sama's time, but the well has not reacted to him."  
  
biThere's an awful lot of breathing room/b/i  
  
"How do you think he'll react to Kikyou? She's going to be coming soon."  
  
biBut I can hardly move/b/i  
  
"I'm not sure. It almost seems like Hell would be a more comforting place to him right now than 500 years before Kagome."  
  
biIf you're gone/b/i  
  
"What about Shippou?"  
  
biBaby you need to come home/b/i  
  
"He's not doing any better. Not that I can blame him. This is the second mother he's lost. I doubt he'll have much more of a childhood."  
  
biCuz there's a little bit of something me/b/i  
  
"Kagome... I never even got to tell you how I felt. Dammit! Why do I have to love you so much, Kagome?" Inu Yasha whispered to himself, as he leaned against the Goshinboku in self-induced torture.  
  
biin everything in you/b/i  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Kagome was still in her room. Her hair was disheveled with grease and lack of care; she had not showered since her arrival in the present. No, she had not even combed out the tangles or the grease.  
  
biI bet you're hard to get over/b/i  
  
As of late, her eyes seemed to be an eternal swollen red. She'd spent many hours wailing into her pillow that week.  
  
biI bet the room just won't shine/b/i  
  
Her mother came up every morning and evening with a tray of food, and some water, but when she came back next, the only thing that had been touched was the water. Kagome was barely surviving, as she starved herself because of her emotional pain.  
  
biI bet my hands I can stay here/b/i  
  
She went down to the well, again, as she had every day since she came back.  
  
biI bet you need more than you mind/b/i  
  
"DAMMIT! I DON'T CARE IF HE'S HAPPY ANYMORE! I WANT TO GO BACK! LET- ME- IN!!!" she screamed in pain and frustration as she clawed at the dirt in the bottom of the well, before she collapsed from emotional trauma and physical exhaustion.  
  
She jumped when a soft, caring hand was placed on her shoulder, and she looked up pleadingly at her mother. She wrapped her arms around her baby girl, and hushed her.  
  
"Shhh. It'll be okay, Kagome, something will turn out. C'mon, we need to get you inside," her mother said softly.  
  
"Mama, it hurts so much! I just wanted him to be happy, but Kami, it hurts," she sobbed onto her mother's shoulder. Wordlessly, she took her daughter up the well, and into the house.  
  
"Go to sleep, Kagome, you need it."  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
biI think you're so mean/b/i  
  
His mind vaguely registered the scent of earth, graves, and herbs, but he was far too caught up in his own thoughts to register it. He did not even notice when she stood before him, but was abruptly shaken from his thoughts when Kikyou spoke to him aloud.  
  
"Inu Yasha." He looked up at her tiredly. He had barely stirred from his spot next to the Goshinboku.  
  
"What do you want, Kikyou?" he asked, his voice gruff from disuse.  
  
"I have come to collect on your debt to me, Inu Yasha."  
  
biI think we should try/b/i  
  
iSo this is it. My life ends, and I spend the rest of my existence with Kikyou in hell. Hell, maybe after long enough, I can forget it./i  
  
biI think I could need this in my life/b/i  
  
"Alright, Kikyou. I'm ready." He stood up, and walked to her. She looked up at him, and he cringed. They looked the same, but Kagome's spark was lacking in Kikyou's cold, hateful eyes. But, he still loved what she had once been, and he owed her this. She clutched him to her possessively, and he wrapped his own arms around her.  
  
biI think I'm just scared that I know too much/b/i  
  
A pink light erupted from beneath the couple's feet. The sound of rushing wind filled the hanyou's ears  
  
biI can't relate and that's a problem I'm feeling/b/i  
  
He began to sink into the ground, holding Kikyou to him.  
  
biIf you're gone/b/i  
  
As he descended downward so very slowly, his thoughts revolved around only one thing.  
  
biMaybe it's time to come home/b/i  
  
He couldn't bring himself to forget her, to focus on what was now his future.  
  
biThere's an awful lot of breathing room/b/i  
  
He couldn't even bring himself to blame her. He, who was never at fault.  
  
biBut I can hardly move/b/i  
  
He couldn't blame her for his pain, and that made it hurt all the more intensely.  
  
biIf you're gone/b/i  
  
He hoped she was happy.  
  
biBaby you need to come home/b/i  
  
He knew that, without her, he could not be.  
  
biCuz there's a little bit of something me/b/i  
  
There was only one word that went through his mind at that moment.  
  
biIn everything in you./b/i  
  
iKagome.../i  
  
biI think you're so mean - I think we should try/b/i  
  
biI think I could need - this in my life/b/i  
  
biI think I'm just scared - do I talk too much/b/i  
  
biI know it's wrong, it's a problem I'm dealing with/b/i  
  
Author's Note: Well, there it is. Also, if someone could kindly tell me why bthis is not in bold/b, I'd be really appreciative. 


	2. Would You?

Author's Note: Hehe, I never planned on leaving it at just that. I'll probably get back to my Zelda fic soon, too, but for now, I'm gonna work on my Inu Yasha stuff. And yeah, I know these chapters are short, and all, but there oughta be alot of'em.  
  
Responses: (Don't you just love it when you see your name in the story? Especially if it's my story :P)  
  
Bunny: D'oh! I dunno what's up with it, I'll figure it out later. Til then, you gotta deal with ithe lack of true italics/i.  
  
Turnings Ander: Of course! But, if I leave a cliffhanger, I can almost guarantee I've written past it. I can do so for this chapter.  
  
Joy-chan: D'oh! You just HAD to do it, didn't you...?  
  
Disclaimer(no, someone named Disclaimer didn't review me!): I do not own Inu Yasha. Bah...  
  
bWould You... For Me?/b  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
He was now sinking deeper, and he could feel the despair and misery of Hell pulling at him. He resigned himself to his fate; after all, what could a dirty, pathetic hanyou like him ever deserve besides misery?  
  
Suddenly, another pink light envelopped him. He looked around shocked, and Kikyou looked at him just as confused. This new light was softer in quality, and it soothed him, as it surrounded him like an aura. He felt calmed, and considerably more at ease. This new light gently lifted him, and he could feel the misery of Hell receding from his mind. He felt a gentle tug, and he was lifted upward. Kikyou looked at him shocked, then angrily.  
  
"INU YASHA!" she screamed. "What are you doing?!" She continued to sink into the ground, and she was very angrily aware that this spell was too far progressed. She must either pull him with her now, or put herself to rest alone.  
  
"I don't know!!!" He looked at the new aura in shock and awe. Subconsciously, he was grateful he would not be forced to endure the rest of eternity constantly reminded of his loss, but he was now more worried about this new light.  
  
"Inu Yasha!" Kikyou screamed again, before she was completely engulfed in the pink light emitting from the ground. What little pink light was left, save the aura surrounding him, subsided, and there was no trace of Kikyou except her lingering scent.  
  
Inu Yasha tensed when his feet lightly made contact with the ground. He looked at the aura, now worried about how he would fight it.  
  
ICalm yourself, Inu Yasha. I mean you no ill will,/I a soothing voice told him. It sounded like a woman.  
  
"Who are you?! What do you want?" After all of his experiences, he had little faith in the sincerity of this voice's claims.  
  
II'm sure you know who I am, if you are not familiar with me./I  
  
"What're you talking about?"  
  
II am the priestess Midoriko./I He froze.  
  
"What do you want...?" he asked carefully.  
  
IFirstly, I would like to thank you, Inu Yasha, for your efforts in returning the jewel to a whole state. I would also like to thank you for the wish that was made upon the jewel. The miko Kagome made her wish entirely selflessly, and with complete purity. It is because of that wish that the jewel has been laid to rest./I  
  
"What does this have to do with me? And why did you stop me from going to Hell with Kikyou?"  
  
IInu Yasha, if I did not know better, I would assume that you had been enjoying the idea of spending the rest of eternity with a soul who wished you only malice./I  
  
"Keep talking, wench."  
  
The voice sighed.  
  
IYou really should show more respect. I am here reguarding the wish the miko Kagome made, because this wish reguards you, and you alone. Do you not wonder what that wish was?/I  
  
IKagome... what did you wish... what did you want about me... is this why you left...? Why... why did you wish for me...?/I  
  
The Midoriko's voice chuckled lightly in his head at his wonder.  
  
IInu Yasha, the wish Kagome made for you... Kagome wished for one thing. She wished only that you would be happy./I  
  
IWhat?! Kagome... Kagome wished that...? She... wanted me to be happy.../I he snorted in his head, Ithen why did she leave? Couldn't that wench tell that I wanted her around? Of course not- you were nothing but a jerk. Hell, you ran off to Kikyou every chance you got. Look at what just nearly happened! Of course she doesn't want to be around you. But... she wished for my happiness... Kagome, if only you knew... all I want to do is spend the rest of eternity with you in my arms./I  
  
IInu Yasha,/I Midoriko said, interrupting his thoughts, Iwhat is it you want? The one thing that would make you happy?/I  
  
"To... to spend the rest of my life with Kagome. That's the only thing I've really wanted for a long time, now, except to destroy Naraku." Realization suddenly dawned on him. "That's- that's why I couldn't go to Hell with Kikyou?!  
  
IYou would not have been happy,/I she said matter-of-factly.  
  
"But... Kagome's gone. And even if she did come back, she's still only a mortal," he said gloomily. It was one of the things he dreaded the most. "The jewel is gone, I can't become human with it. And... I wouldn't want to only spend a human's life with Kagome. I know it's selfish, but I don't want to be that weak, either. I want to be able to protect Kagome. And... above all else, I want her to be happy, too. She loves her family... how could I take that from her?" he said questioningly, as he exposed all of his thoughts, wants, and feelings to the miko.  
  
IThe irony here is astounding. You both want the other to be happy, to the point of sacrificing your own happiness for the other. Good thing I'm here!/I Midoriko said with joy.  
  
IOkay, first things first. I can open up the well again for travel, but you won't be able to go through until she comes through. It'll take some power, and she'll be the only source for it, since the jewel is gone. And don't worry, I can keep it from sealing itself. It's the least I can do for what you and Kagome have given me. As for the immortal/mortal dilemma, I do have the power, as well as the jurisdiction under her wish, to make you human. We both know you'd be happy as long as she was there. However, I am neither sadistic nor cruel, and, truth be told, Kagome would not want you to become human. She knows you hate feeling weak, and she can accept that you don't want to give that up. So the only other option is to change Kagome somehow. However, as I'm sure you know, human bodies are weak, and they decay after time. As long as she is human, her lifespan can be no more than about a hundred years, and I know how much it would pain you to see her age and weaken, as you stay strong, youthful, and resilient to the ravages of time./I  
  
"Is there anything you CAN do?" he asked with a choke. His hopes had been soaring, but he was afraid this may have been a barrier that could not have been surpassed.  
  
IOf course!/I she said, almost too cheerily for his liking. Almost being the key word. IAfter all, I can make you human, why shouldn't I be able to do the opposite? Somehow, I get the feeling you wouldn't want her to become a full youkai, and I agree, she should not be stripped entirely of her humanity. But, as a hanyou, she would live just as long as you./I  
  
"You'd... really do that...?" he said, barely suppressing the urge to shout in joy, and he could feel tears welling up in his eyes. He'd once thought that the rage that drove him into his full youkai form was an overwhelming emotion- he was wrong; it paled in comparison to the all encompassing happiness that flowed through his soul when he thought he might be given the only things he really wanted.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Kagome woke up puffy eyed. It was nearly 11:00 AM; she found it easier to deal with when she was asleep. She sat up, and rubbed her eyes tiredly, as they already started to wet themselves. She swiftly chastised herself for continuing to cry so much. She stood up, and made her way to the bathroom.  
  
She stood before the mirror, eyeing herself disgustedly.  
  
"Kagome, you look like hell," she told her reflection. Her eyes were surrounded by puffed up pink flesh, but the rest of her face was pale. Her clothes hung loosely on her, because she had eaten little to nothing in the past week. Her hair was a tangled, greasy mess, that stuck out in odd places, and reminded her vaguely of a rat's nest.  
  
IPull yourself together, Kagome! You're not weak, stop acting like it. So what if Inu Yasha preferred Kikyou over you? He's been in Hell for the last 500 years, that's his choice. You need to clean yourself up, and get back to your life. You've missed so much school, you really should start focusing on your education again. You'll be able to date Hojo now,/I she though, as a wave of disappointment swept through her. It was like someone had let her ride in a Ferrarri, only to hand her an old skateboard. She knew it would be a long time before she could ever love again, but that wouldn't stop her from living her life. With a new resolve, she stripped, and stepped into the shower, determined to prove her strength to the world.  
  
An hour later, she felt refreshed and revigorated. After lunch, where she had noticed just how strong the hunger she was annoying was, she decided to take this time to study, and catch up on missed schoolwork.  
  
When she was deep in finding the root of pi x cubed, she heard a timid knock on her bedroom door, as Souta stepped in.  
  
"Sis?" he asked in a worried tone.  
  
"Yes, ototo?"  
  
"Sis, Buyo is missing! I can't find him anywhere!" he said desperately, looking at her pleadingly.  
  
"Alright, Souta, let's find him," Kagome said as she closed her Algebra 2 book, and set her pencil aside.  
  
After about 10 minutes, they had checked everywhere but the wellhouse. Kagome hesitated for a moment, before steeling her will, determined to prove that she, Higurashi Kagome, was not weak.  
  
She stepped into the wellhouse, as Souta stood at the doorway, squinting into the darkness. She carefully made her way to the well.  
  
"Heeeere, Buyo. Heeeeere, kittykittykittykittykitty," she called out to the missing cat. She stepped around the well, looking for any sign of the fat little ball.  
  
It happened so fast. She stepped on the cats tail, not seeing her feet in the darkness and shadow of the well. The cat had been hiding just out of sight. Instantly, Buyo yowled his displeasure, and shot like a rocket out. Souta was following the cat in an instant, determined not to lose him. He didn't see as his sister wobbled uncertainly, her back facing the well. She manicly spun her arms, attempting to gain balance, but failed miserably as the backs of her knees made contact with the old well, and she fell backwards. She closed her eyes, waiting for the impact that would jar her system, and force the breath from her.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
It never came. She opened her eyes carefully, and she was surrounded by a blend of pink and blue lights. Soon, the lights receded, and she touched lightly against the ground, as her eyes met with clear, blue sky.  
  
IThis... this can't be. I'm dreaming. I must be dreaming. Fate could never be this kind. You're only torturing yourself, Kagome. You should just wake up now, and get back to your modern life./I She closed her eyes, then expected to wake in her room, but the light sounds of birds chirping in the background did not fade. Finally, she sat up. She wiped the damp soil from her form fitting jeans, and the black shirt that hugged her torso tightly. She looked around, amazed, still convinced that it wasn't real. She carefully climbed the rope that had been placed to aid her ascension, and she stepped out of the well, almost as dazed as her first time in the Sengoku Jidai.  
  
That's when she saw him. He stood there, stunned. She cursed herself for dreaming. He was so handsome... so beautiful.  
  
"Kagome..." he whispered, amazed at her presence. She was there. She was really there. His Kagome. He leapt forward suddenly, and landed just in front of her.  
  
She looked at him for only a moment, before she collapsed against his chest.  
  
"Inu Yasha... why must I torture myself like this? Why can't I just be rid of your memory, and live my life like a normal girl?" She began to sniffle against his shoulder.  
  
"Ka- Kagome?" he asked, suddenly hurt. She didn't even want to remember him?  
  
"I'm going to wake up, and you'll be gone, 500 years into the past. I'll still be stuck in my time, and you'll have been in Hell for 500 years. Please, just let me wake up... it hurts... knowing I can't ever see you again." Realization dawned on him, and he nearly chuckled, but opted to wrap his arms tightly around the girl.  
  
"Kagome, you're not dreaming." She sobbed again, harder against his red shoulder.  
  
"Stop teasing me. It hurts enough." He sighed exasperatadly.  
  
"Don't be stupid, wench. If you were really dreaming, you could do anything you want," his tone suddenly became softer, "and this wouldn't feel so real." He turned her chin towards him, and lightly placed his lips on hers. He let her just get used to his presence, before he pulled back, smirking at her gently.  
  
"It's not fair. Just wake me up already." He finally grew tired of attitude, and pinched her roughly on the rump. Her eyes widened in shock, before she stepped back and slapped him.  
  
"That hurt, you big hen-" Suddenly, she realized what she was saying. It wasn't a dream. "In- Inu Yasha... it's really you?" He smirked at her.  
  
"It's really me." She suddenly looked gloomy.  
  
"Kik- Kikyou hasn't come for you yet?" she asked, her eyes downcast. Her tone was sad, laced with a hint of bitterness. He grinned.  
  
"She has."  
  
"What?!" Kagome's eyes shot up, surprised.  
  
"She came today, actually. She's in Hell right now. I would be, too, except SOMEBODY made a certain wish," he said, an arrogant and proud grin gracing his lips.  
  
"You... you didn't want to go with her?"  
  
"I tried to go with her, really, I did. Hell, I was even sinking with her. But I couldn't. Your wish wouldn't let me."  
  
"Inu Yasha... I'm so glad," she said softly, as she leaned into his embrace once again. She closed her eyes, and revelled in his warmth. He tucked her head under his chin, and just stood there, as her pillar of strength.  
  
"Midoriko-sama wanted to thank you, you know. Your wish was made with a completely pure heart, so she can finally rest in peace." Something suddenly hit Kagome.  
  
"You found out about my wish?" she said with a groan in embarassment. He chuckled.  
  
"Yes, Kagome. I found out about your wish. Thank you," he whispered softly into her hair.  
  
"Is- Is that why I was able to come back?" He smiled against her hair.  
  
"Yes, Kagome. You can come and go, whenever you want, too. Not that you may. You still have to tell me," he said, as he possessively pulled her tighter to him. She sighed happily. She wouldn't mind it much if she had to ask his permission. She was with him again. She would be happy if she couldn't ever go back.  
  
"Kagome... there's still one more part of the wish. Kagome, I... I really, truly, deeply care about you. I love you. More than that, I'm in love with you." She blushed at his words, as her heart fluttered excitedly. Surely, this was all still a dream. She pinched herself, and yelped lightly, thanking the gods. "Kagome, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. But you're a human, and you could live no longer than 100 years... that's why, Midoriko offered me a choice, and I'm offering it to you... Kagome, would you be with me?"  
  
"Of course, you silly puppy," she giggled.  
  
"Kagome... would you become a hanyou for me?"  
  
Author's Note: Aww, man, I feel like a sap... I seriously hope noone I know personally read's this... I'll get hell for years. And no, I have absolutely no idea what's gonna happen. I haven't written, nor planned out anything past even this day in the story. But, it'll turn out, for better or for worse. I'd tell you to R&R, but I seriously have no clue as to what that is. Besides, this story is still pretty small. Don't worry, though, I've got big ambitions! 


	3. What If They Don't Like Me?

Author's Note: I dunno if I'm gonna have much angst in the next few chapters, or if it's just gonna be fluff and filler. We'll figure it out. Oh, and by the way, if you notice an error (I think in the last chapter, I used "annoying" instead of "ignoring"(I got no time to fix it now)), just copy and paste it in notepad, and then throw it into your review (if you DO review... please do). I'll figure it out, don't worry, I just miss these things because I usually write too fast to go back and proofread. Also, if I have any plotholes, please point'em out (if Kagome says sit, and Inu Yasha doesn't crash, I made a mistake).  
  
I know this is a rather long AN (for me), gomen, but I'm gonna throw some Japanese into my fic. If I do, though, I'll give you a list of it at the start, so you know what it is(if I use a word you don't understand, and I left it out, again, reviews are for corrections).  
  
Words:  
  
Gomen - Sorry  
  
Hai - Yes  
  
Watashi - I/me  
  
Desu - Is  
  
Hai, watashi desu - Yes, it's me. (that's the way Japanese grammar works)  
  
Youkai - Demon (the kind they have in this story, not like the one's that possess people in Christian mythology)  
  
Hanyou - Half-demon  
  
Bouzu/Houshi - Monk (Buddhist's priest)  
  
Inu - Dog  
  
Ne - Right/you know (that kind of thing, just look at the context)  
  
Kawaii - Cute  
  
I might throw summore in next time, just for the hell of it, but I don't have much time right now.  
  
Responses:  
  
kawaii-syaoran713 - Well, it seems like recently, I've been on a role with writing this story. Heh... I started it at like, 4 in the morning on Christmas night (there's an oxymoron for you...), but I had no idea it would get as big as it's gotten. Hopefully, it can only go up from here!  
  
Joy-chan - Meh, I'm not really into just killing Kikyou off, but it worked for the plot. Besides, like it or not, Inu Yasha and Kikyou DID love each other; personally, I think Inu just recognized the soul Kikyou and Kagome share, and thus, fell in love with it. It's just that Kagome's personality is so much better than Kikyou's. :P  
  
Ryguy5387 - Bah, do you have to rub it in...? I really, really hope no one I know reads this... Thanks for liking it, I'm writing this thing because it's not only fun to write, but I like reading fanfics, so I thought I'd put one out. Blind adoration is always nice (=D), but constructive criticism is better. Please, if you find anything wrong with my fic, if the plot gets weak, or I accidentally (or maybe I'll do it on purpose... :D) riddle my fic with grammar/spelnlig (bwahaha...) errors, please, tell me.  
  
Enough with the banter, ON WITH THE FIC!!!  
  
bWhat If They Don't Like Me?/b  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"You- I- How?"  
  
"I believe her words were 'after all, if I can make you human, why shouldn't I be able to do the opposite?'"  
  
"Inu Yasha... I'd give up being able to see my family if it meant I could spend my human life with you. I'd sacrifice a limb, even. Becoming a hanyou so I could spend who knows how many centuries with you... Inu Yasha, I love you so much. To have you, and yet, to become strong, not to have to worry about growing old and weak, to know that my human mortality wouldn't be a problem... yes. Please, Inu Yasha, yes..." she said desperately, as she flung herself against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, beaming.  
  
Suddenly, a soft pink aura surrounded Kagome. Inu Yasha stepped back, recognizing it. Kagome looked at him quickly, but when she saw no worry in his eyes, she relaxed. She closed her eyes, and she could feel a humming in her soul. The light intensified, and she could see it through her eyelids. Suddenly, the light died down. She relaxed the muscles she had unknowingly been tensing, and she felt extremely exhausted. She looked at a blurry Inu Yasha, before whispering his name, and collapsing against him.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
She woke up slowly. The first thought that came to mind was that she had been dreaming, and she was waking up. Then she remembered that it hadn't been, but this was soon replaced by a headache. She opened her eyes carefully. Inu Yasha sat next to her. She was resting against a tree, and he was studying her carefully.  
  
"Inu Yasha..." she moaned, "my head hurts. Everything is so loud, and so bright," she said, squinting. Not saying anything he placed his hands on the top of her head, and suddenly, all the sounds became dulled, and bearable. She squinted her eyes, as they adjusted carefully, as if she were only seeing for the first time. Soon enough, the light was bearable by her optic nerves. A sudden thought came to mind, as she reached up to cover her ears. Her hands only brushed against smooth skin and hair, however, and she jumped in surprise. Her jump forced Inu Yasha's hands away from her head, and suddenly everything became unbearably loud again. She whimpered. How could chirping birds and croaking frogs and all the life around her hurt her head so much?! Inu Yasha chuckled slightly amused, before he leaned against the tree, and took her into his arms.  
  
"I don't know how bad it is, I wasn't aware when I learned how to deal with the sound. You'll get used to it, though. Sorry, but I'm not gonna cover your ears anymore. I can't baby you... that much," he added with an after though. She just sighed, and leaned into him, wincing every time a twig broke, or a bird chirped.  
  
"Inu Yasha!" Miroku yelled, as he stepped behind the couple. He couldn't see them through a tree, and he was unaware of his actions.  
  
IStill,/I the male hanyou growled, Ithat damn monk is gonna pay/I. He hadn't missed how Kagome opened her eyes in pain, and fisted her hands in his haori.  
  
"I'm right here, you damn bouzu!" he hissed angrily, careful not to raise his voice to even a normal level of speaking. Kagome silently thanked him. The monk stepped into view, and his eyes widened in shock.  
  
"Inu Yasha! What are you doing? Who is this? Kagome would kill you if she saw you like this!" After a moment of thought, Miroku the righteous monk vacated the premises, and Miroku the lecherous hentai took residence. "And who is she? I have never seen a female hanyou before. She is very beautiful."  
  
"Stop talking so damn loud!" Inu Yasha spat out quietly, but the venom in his voice was no less. Kagome was whimpering into his haori, as her ears adjusted to the intense sounds, and her mind adjusted to the sensitivity of her ears.  
  
"I'm right here, Miroku, stop talking about me like I can't hear you. I can hear all too well, and it's hurting my ears," she whispered, just loud enough for the bumbling monk to understand. He nodded once, before continuing quietly.  
  
"Who are you? You sound familiar, and you know my name, but I'm sure I would never forget a female hanyou, especially one that looks like Inu Yasha." She briefly wondered what he meant, before she put 2 and 2 together, and realized that Inu Yasha had covered ears Ion the top of her head/I.  
  
"I'm... I'm an inu hanyou?" she asked timidly, slightly louder than before. Her head had stopped hurting as badly. Inu Yasha nodded, and Kagome understood the gesture, as his chin rubbed against her scalp. Miroku looked on in question; what kind of hanyou didn't know what they were? Suddenly, she stood up, and slowly turned around. He sized her up, starting with her feet, and made his way upward. He briefly noticed that she worke clothing like Kagome had once brought back, but pushed this to the back of his mind while he examined the girl in front of him. His eyes came to rest with hers, and striking gold eyes gazed at him patiently waiting. Suddenly, he recognized the face.  
  
"K-Kagome-sama?"  
  
"Hai, watashi desu,"  
  
"You're- You're a hanyou!" he exclaimed.  
  
"No shit, Miroku."  
  
"H-how did this happen?  
  
"It's along story, Miroku-sama. I'll tell you on the way back to the village," she said, extending a now clawed hand to Inu Yasha. He "keh"ed when she offered him help, but took her hand anyway. She lifted him quickly to his feet, suddenly awed by her strength. He looked a little shaken up, at being so easily lifted by the one girl he considered physically weak in their group.  
  
"What did you want, anyway, bouzu?"  
  
"Kaede-sama requested your nose for herb gathering. She offered it as an idea to take your mind off of Kagome's disappearance. We were all worried about how distraught you were, Inu Yasha. You barely moved from the Goshinboku for the entire week. Surely you cannot deny this?" Miroku rambled on in a facade of innocence. He knew exactly who he was talking to, what he was talking about, and who overheard it. He mentally grinned, but kept his face straight.  
  
"Inu Yasha... is that true?" Said hanyou glanced at her once, before averting his gaze, as his cheeks painted themselves a deep crimson.  
  
IStupid bouzu... soon as Kagome's outta sight, I'm gonna tear that bastard a new one!/I  
  
"H-hai," he stuttered. He felt weak and vulnerable, when it was exposed that he had barely been able to survive without the ability to go to Kagome. He didn't like feeling weak, or vulnerable, if Kagome was around. He wanted to be able to protect her. What if she knew that he had been so weak?  
  
IForget about what if's, she does know! Is she going to think I can't protect her... will she go to someone else?!/I he thought desperately.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Inu Yasha," she whispered to him, as she leaned against him, and wrapped her arms gently around his neck, as she rested her head on his shoulder. She knew Miroku couldn't hear her. Inu Yasha briefly noted that she was taller than she used to be.  
  
Inu Yasha expected alot of things, but Kagome hugging him, and apologizing was the last of them. Why was Ishe/I apologizing to Ihim/I? Kagome was never at fault; he was always the one who had done something wrong. He had been the one to drive her away, while he was constantly chasing after the undead miko, and he had been the one who hadn't admitted his feelings. In all truth, he hadn't wanted to hurt her. He knew she had some feelings for him, and he knew he felt for her, but... he had owed Kikyou his life. He hoped that she could rest peacefully, until she was reborn as his beloved Kagome. He smiled at the thought; in the end, it was Kikyou's soul he still loved. Of course, when he compared Kikyou to Kagome, he still loved Kagome more. He wondered for a brief moment if, perhaps, it was not Kikyou's soul, but Kagome's that he had loved? He like that idea. Maybe that's why he was drawn to Kikyou, despite her cold exterior... had he seen in her a glimpse of his Kagome? But he knew, also, that it was more than that; Inu Yasha needed Kikyou, back then, just as she needed him. It was someone to share their loneliness with. He quietly thanked the dead miko, for starting the process that opened him up, so that he could love Kagome.  
  
He was brought back to reality when Miroku coughed.  
  
"Shall I tell them that something else has detained you, Inu Yasha?" The taller hanyou glared the lecher for a moment. He softened his gaze, and rested his eyes on the ears of the girl in his arms.  
  
"Kagome?" he asked, gently. He wanted to make it her choice about when she would head back.  
  
"Better sooner than later, I suppose..." He knew she was worried about how everyone would respond. "Inu Yasha... can I ask you what all the differences are? Between me now, and when I was just a human?"  
  
"Well, you're the most beautiful creature on Earth, but that didn't really change when you became a hanyou," he said, grinning when she blushed, and looked away. She found a rock that piqued her interest, and refused to break her gaze, until she felt her cheeks cool. She looked back at him.  
  
"Be serious, Inu Yasha."  
  
"I was," he said with a chuckle, and now, she glared at him. He sighed, and continued, "You're a bit taller than you used to be, maybe three or four inches. You've got golden eyes, like me, and white hair, and I think it's a few inches longer. These are traits of all inu youkai. You've also got ears like mine on the top of your head, as well as clawed hands. The more subtle changes are that you'll be more toned if you looked, and your womanly curves have become even curvier." He glared at the monk. "And bouzu, if I find you even looking at her with that glint in your eyes, head of monk meets fist of hanyou. Many, many times. Got it?"  
  
Miroku gulped, "Duly noted, Inu Yasha. I'll meet you in the village." With that, the monk and his cursed hand made their exit.  
  
"Inu Yasha... what if they don't like me anymore? I mean, you've been a hanyou from the start, they couldn't accept you as anything else, but... I've just been weak Kagome the human, who's only uses were her arrow, and the shard detecting. What if they think I'm dirty now? Not that II/I think I am, or that you are, but... I've finally began to understand why you didn't want to be a hanyou, and now, why you didn't want to be a human. My ears still kind of hurt, but it's not as bad, and everything else is so much clearer, so much more... alive. I'm just worried... what will they think?"  
  
"I'll tell you what they'll think, Kagome. They'll think, they can't believe how lucky they are, because you're back in the first place. After that, they'll be happy for you. They're your friends, Kagome, and they are what they are for a reason. As for the villagers, and other people, they might shun you, but if you just be yourself, they'll grow to love you just the same. Oh, and I forgot to mention; you've got fangs now, too." She gasped in surprise, then felt around in her mouth. She was surprised, somewhat pleasantly, although she did not know why, that she had fangs, like Inu Yasha.  
  
"Alright. I'm ready, Inu Yasha. Let's go.  
  
Author's Note: Meh, I dunno if this chapter is shorter or longer or what, I don't care, I'M OFF TO A LAN PARTY! Hehe... hey, no complainin', you just read the third chapter, hot off the presses! Okay, fine, I don't have any presses, but I've got notepad! If I weren't a guy, I'd probably glomp it... (:D) Anyway, til next time (probably in a day or two =D), read more fiction! It's good for you. 


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